Year: 2020
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This dissertation examines present-day generic and nonbinary uses of English 3rd person singular pronouns from a sociolinguistic perspective. Investigated are generic uses of singular they, he, she, he or she, and the neopronouns ze and xe. In addition, singular they, ze and xe are studied in nonbinary contexts. What connects these pronouns is their relevance to gender-fair language use; who is allowed representation in language? With data from a large online survey (n=1128), the study explores both types of pronouns from three related aspects: usage, acceptability, and attitudes. The participants include both cisgender and transgender participants, and both native and non-native speakers of English, the latter comprising native Finnish and Swedish speakers. The survey produced both quantitative (usage, acceptability) and qualitative data (attitudes). The participants’ attitudes towards the pronouns are explored using thematic analysis, while logistic regression analysis is employed to investigate the effect of the background variables (e.g. age, gender) on usage and acceptability. The results demonstrate overwhelming support for singular they in both generic and nonbinary contexts. In generic contexts, gendered pronouns were rejected as gender-exclusive, whereas singular they was preferred specifically for its inclusivity and ease of use. In nonbinary contexts, while many participants objected to nonbinary pronouns in general, singular they was accepted considerably more often than either of the neopronouns. Nonbinary pronouns were most often rejected due to perceiving gender as a binary construct. In contrast, supporters of nonbinary pronouns recognized the role of language in providing representation to individuals, arguing that any pronoun a person chooses for themselves should be acceptable. The nonbinary participants (n=79) also favored they over the neopronouns as their personal pronoun. These participants elaborated on their relationship with pronouns, revealing a strong but complex relationship between pronouns and identity. Overall, these responses highlighted the importance of using a person’s chosen pronouns. The participants described feelings of validation and acknowledgment when others respected their pronouns, and feelings of invalidation and alienation when others misgendered them or refused to use their pronouns.
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Hekanaho, Laura
Language: English
Topic: Gender Studies in Language
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7057118285